The Eastern Cape government has still not paid more than 6478 suppliers it owes a R169m for more than 90 days as at the end of December last year.
This is according to the written reply to questions on the matter from DA MPL, Bobby Stevenson.
According to the reply, provincial departments owed a total of 1 851 supplies R50,5-miilion in excess of 30 days, another 926 suppliers were owed R23,2-million in excess of 60 days, and a further 6 478 suppliers were owed R169,8-million in excess of 90 days, as at 31 December last year.
DA MPL, Bobby Stevenson, said that the Bhisho Government “should focus on radical economic payment instead of monopolising provincial capital to the detriment of businesses that are owed money.’
“If we want to get the economy of the Eastern Cape moving, we need to dump the rhetoric and get down to real action,” Stevenson said.
He said no business can survive if it is not paid on time for its services.
“In a province where projected growth for the year was a dismal 0.7% prior to the ratings downgrades to junk status, non-payment by the government is unacceptable,” said Stevenson.
“We need serious political will to ensure that we keep the economy of this province moving forward instead of strangling it by non-payment,” he added.
